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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25039786">Caelestis</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdyourbreathfornow/pseuds/holdyourbreathfornow'>holdyourbreathfornow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Caelestis [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Half-Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood, Brainwashing, Celestial Bodies AU, Dr. Coomer contols asteroids, Each character controls a different celestial body, Eldritch beings, Explosions, Fear of Death, Mind Control, Multi, Near Death Experiences, Needles, Others are in the previous story but, Panic Attacks, Solitary Confinement, Tommy controls planets, and Bubby controls comets, rock collecting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:41:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,749</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25039786</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdyourbreathfornow/pseuds/holdyourbreathfornow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A star falls to Earth in search of his family.</p><p>The only question is if he's doomed the universe in his quest.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Benrey/Tommy Coolatta/Gordon Freeman, Bubby/Dr. Coomer, The G-Man &amp; Tommy Coolatta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Caelestis [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812418</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>176</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Alpha Centauri</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
  <span>The night outside Black Mesa Research Facility was one of the coldest on record.  Though there was no snow to show just how cold it was, the stars almost seemed like snowflakes themselves with how harshly they glinted in the night sky.  One star in particular seemed to be slowly moving across the night sky, though anyone watching would’ve had to wait for hours to notice a difference.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>As time passed, the star gradually grew larger and larger, picking up speed until its progress would’ve been noticeable by even a casual observer.  The star’s white light slowly blotted out its comrades and suddenly it burst through the earth’s atmosphere, turning the inky blue sky to gold and bathing everything in its light for a short moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Satellites scattered outside the entrance to Black Mesa tracked the star’s path as it flew across the sky, before it vanished beind a mesa.  The resulting crash reverberated back to the research facility, sending pebbles on the ground jolting and shaking.  Finally, that calmed as well and the night was still once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>And that was when soldiers and scientists alike began streaming out from the entrance to Black Mesa.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>In a crater in the desert, what seemed to be a man stood in the smoking, rocky ruins.  His eyes flashed and glared with a blinding light and he wore what seemed to be a garment made of pure light, colors constantly playing across the fabric as it floated ethereally above the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Dr. Wallace Breen was one of the first people on the scene, two soldiers flanking him as he stood on the lip of the crater, peering down into it with poorly disguised apprehension, and maybe even a hint of fear.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>It took a moment, but the smoke cleared from the crater eventually, and Breen found his gaze seized by the strange human-like creature, watching him with unhidden rage.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Do you understand us?”  The head doctor asked, and the creature made no effort to reply.  Breen hesitated but then seemed to steel himself.  “The others could understand us just fine.”  The doctor didn’t even have time to blink before the creature was in front of him, seeming to have blinked from his previous spot into his new one.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Then you have them.”  The creature said.  His voice was steady and up close, Breen could actually make out some details of his appearance through the glow surrounding him.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>A single brown braid was thrown onto his left shoulder, and freckles dotted pale skin.  The creature’s mouth was wrenched into an intimidating snarl and Breen could see some inner light shining through the gaps of his teeth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Where are you keeping them?”  The creature asked and Breen grinned, the kind of grin a sewer rat would grin if it was able to express any other emotion than bloodlust.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“It took so long for us to break them, you know.  One by one, they all came here, and now they’re all under my control.  Who knew it was so easy to mess with the memories of a Celestial Controller?”  The creature’s eyes went wide and though his body lurched forward to attack, he managed to restrain himself.  He and Breen both knew the same thing.  “You can’t kill me.  I’m the only one who has any of the information you need on your precious little ‘family’.”  The last word was sneered and the creature narrowed its eyes as it obviously came to some kind of decision.  He looked over Breen’s shoulder at one of the soldiers serving as Breen’s protection.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Is there anyone else who knows everything this worm does?”  The creature asked and the soldier gulped, quietly enough that no one could hear him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Um… Uh, not that I know of?  But I don’t know a lot either so-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Fine.”  The creature cut the soldier off and turned his searchlight eyes on Breen.  “What do you want?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Just to run some tests-”  Breen put on his best politician smile, but those searchlight eyes narrowed.  For all that the creature had been glowing before, suddenly it seemed to increase tenfold, until Breen felt that a sunburn was both a very real possibility and the least of his worries.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Don’t lie to me.”  The creature glared at him.  “I won’t tolerate it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Fine.  We’re going to stick you in a cell, figure out what you control, and then try to brainwash you, are you happy?”  Breen spat, flailing slightly in rage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“I want to see them.”  The creature murmured, even as the light faded away.  It dimmed enough that, other than the glowing eyes, he could be mistaken for a human.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Fine.  That can be arranged.”  Breen turned away and gestured to some of the waiting soldiers.  “Get him inside.  We don’t need to make even more of a spectacle.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Yes, sir.”  A rather dumb private stepped forward and began slapping a pair of handcuffs onto the Controller.  Breen kept walking, even as the scent of melting metal and the screams of the private filled the air behind him.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>“Get him inside without getting yourselves killed!”  Breen added over his shoulder, and vanished into the base.  The remaining personnel looked at each other nervously, before they all turned in unison to look at the Celestial Controller.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>The creature grinned and spread his arms, molten metal still dripping from his wrists.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Pollux</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I should’ve just set my samples on fire.”  Bubby groused as he and Coomer were guided through the halls of Black Mesa.  “Who knows what incompetent intern is going to get a hold of-?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Big picture, Bubby!”  Coomer’s voice held its usual jovial tone, but the bags under his eyes spoke to the exhaustion he was under, having just escaped some tests of his own.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bubby couldn’t help but wonder if every other scientist also got experimented on, or if it was just Dr. Coomer and himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Either way, he wasn’t pleased to be suddenly yanked from his work, for some super secret top clearance bullshit.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are we even going?”  Bubby hissed at one of the soldiers escorting them, but she just kept her eyes forward and refused to acknowledge that Bubby had even spoken.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually they came to a door at the end of a long hallway and one of the other soldiers handed both Bubby and Coomer a pair of night vision goggles as the other started punching in a code.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re gonna want to put those on.”  The soldier said and Bubby sent a confused look at Coomer, who subtly shook his head, before the both of them slipped the goggles on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Without the assistance of the goggles, it would’ve been impossible to see inside the room.  It was almost like all light was being continuously drained from the room.  And this wasn’t even their final destination.  Rather, once the door was shut solidly behind Coomer and Bubby, the scientists pushed them towards another thicker door at the other end of the room</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Doctors.”  The head soldier spoke finally and turned to face them.  “I apologize for the secrecy.  But we have captured an extra-terrestrial lifeform.  Your assignment, until such time as a change needs to be made, is to examine this lifeform and learn everything you can about both his physicality and his culture, if he ever chooses to share with you.”  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The head soldier paused as the girl handed both Bubby and Coomer identical clipboards, which Bubby was sure was filled with information about whatever weird-ass ‘lifeform’ he was about to see.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I would read this, but I can’t see!”  Coomer informed the soldier cheerfully and there was a moment of silence before someone reached forwards and flipped Coomer’s night vision on.  He screamed a short, staccato burst, and the soldiers jumped in shock while Bubby perused the clipboard.  “Oh!  I can see!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s how night vision fuckin’ works.”  Bubby muttered before he flipped the papers back down and tucked the clipboard under his arm, reaching up to adjust his night vision goggles like he would do to his glasses.  “We’re ready.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Before we start, you can’t believe anything this specimen says.  He’s proven to be incredibly dangerous and he’s already killed one of our soldiers.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good.”  Bubby pushed past the head soldier and waved for the two grunts to open the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as the metal began to creak open, light flooded out from any hole it could, effectively blinding everyone for a moment before their goggles adjusted.  When Bubby’s gaze finally cleared, he found himself struck speechless at the entity before him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The entity hovered a few inches off the ground, light pulsing off of him in vengeful waves.  Bubby got the sudden impression that if the entity burned any hotter, he would’ve boiled any of the Black Mesa employees from the inside out.  Brown hair whipped out from his face, slicing through the air, and light poured off of every inch of his skin.  The only thing keeping the entity from being completely buck-ass naked was a thin green hospital gown that somehow hadn’t burned off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The entity locked eyes with the head soldier and sneered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Forzen.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not even going to ask how you learned my name.”  The soldier sighed.  He waved one hand and Coomer and Bubby were shuffled forwards to stand next to him.  “Just wanted to introduce you to the new heads of your project.  Meet Dr. Coomer and Dr. Bubby.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as the entity’s eyes landed on Bubby and Coomer, all the fight seemed to drain from him and he fell to his knees.  Frozen nodded again and a pair of soldiers ran forward, closing shackles around all of the entity’s joints and locking them into holders built into the wall of the entity’s cell.  The entity didn’t even seem to notice, instead brightly colored orbs and a high-pitched ringing poured from his mouth as tears welled up in his eyes.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As near as Bubby could figure, the orbs were supposed to be some form of communication, since the entity withdrew further when neither he nor Coomer showed any sign of recognition.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello.”  The entity said finally and Dr. Coomer was the first to step towards him, Bubby right behind him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello!”  Dr. Coomer cut off partway through the sentence and looked almost pissed about it.  He flipped through his clipboard again before he turned to Forzen.  “Does he not have a name?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Not one we can translate.”  Frozen shrugged.  “Everytime he tries to use his home language, it’s just more of those orbs and that weird slide whistle bullshit.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah.”  Dr. Coomer wrinkled his nose in dissatisfaction and turned to Bubby.  “Whose turn is it to name the specimen?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You named the last one ‘Fuckard’, I think it’s my turn.”  Bubby sighed and Coomer grinned in remembrance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, yes, truly an excellent name.  But go ahead, my dear Bubby.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So I get to name the walking laser show, huh?”  Bubby walked a couple of steps closer to the entity and the two of them locked eyes.  “Ah, got it.  Gordon, after the bitch who invented the laser.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Humans also get a last name, right?”  Gordon asked and Bubby nodded.  He looked over to Forzen and Bubby swore he saw Gordon’s lip curl in a spiteful smile.  “Fine.  I choose ‘Freeman’.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll mark that down.”  Bubby assured and Coomer stepped up yet again, smiling at Gordon, who hesitantly smiled back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, then, let me be the first to say:</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>‘Hello, Gordon!’”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Formalhaut</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first time Harold entered Gordon’s cell alone, the entity was floating in the middle of his cell, light playing on the walls around them, like viewing the sun through a kaleidoscope.  Harold tucked his little bag of tools closer to him and cleared his throat politely.  Gordon’s eyes snapped open and they zeroed in on Harold.  His mouth opened and glowing orbs burst forth, followed by what sounded like a digital voice, singing in various pitches.  When Harold didn’t show any recognition, Gordon’s shoulders drooped and he snapped his mouth shut.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right, of course.  You use… Words.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t speak where you’re from?”  Harold asked, slowly stepping closer, and Gordon shook his head.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kind of hard to hear sound waves in the void of space.”  Harold perked up and set his bag down by his feet, pulling out a pen and a small notebook.  Gordon lowered himself to the ground and came over, peering curiously at harold’s scribblings.  “What are you writing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, Gordon, you did just give me some more information on your species!  I’m taking notes, as any good scientist would.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So this is humans’ written language.”  Gordon seemed almost… Indifferent to it.  “Too scratchy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but it gets the job done.”  Harold closed the notebook and picked his bag back up.  “Now, then!  Let’s get the unpleasantries out of the way!  I need some samples.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?”  Gordon asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold responded by opening his bag, pulling out tools one by one and showing them to Gordon.  Gordon’s eyes jumped from instrument to instrument, confusion clear as crystal on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re hoping to take parts of me?”  He asked and Harold hesitated, but his conscience made him nod.  To Harold’s shock, Gordon laughed.  “If that’s what you want, then you are more than free to try.  Do not blame me when the results aren’t what you want.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll make do.”  Harold assured him and picked up a syringe.  “Now, this may hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll see.”  Gordon said cryptically, but held his arm out nonetheless.  Harold slid the needle in as gently as he could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or at least that was what would’ve happened.  In reality, as soon as the needle got close enough to Gordon, it simply melted away, leaving the remaining plastic part and Harold’s hand intact.  The scientist blinked and tilted his head quizzically.  When he looked back up, Gordon smiled at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t harm me physically, Dr. Coomer.”  The entity shrugged, almost seeming entertained by the whole situation.  “So that’ll make taking samples significantly harder.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s perfectly fine!”  Harold packed his bag back up but stayed sitting next to Gordon.  “If it’s alright with you, I’ll just sit here and we can talk.  Between you and me, the higher-ups won’t let me out until a little more time has passed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright.”  Gordon wouldn’t look at Harold, rather letting his eyes drift across the walls.  The lights Gordon threw off rather made the whole thing feel like a dreary disco party.  “Tell me about yourself, Dr. Coomer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, my first name is Harold…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Over time, approximately a month, Gordon and Harold grew well-acquainted.  The soldiers wouldn’t let Harold out until an hour had passed, even when Harold came back empty-handed every time.  Professor Bubby found the whole thing unsettling and stupid, but he considered everything with a degree of suspicious hatred, so Harold was more than happy to keep on keeping on.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon seemed to warm up to Harold quickly, and Harold wouldn’t deny the fact he’d grown to consider Gordon a friend, albeit one made in less than great circumstances.  It helped that Gordon laughed at Harold’s jokes, and Harold was… Really, the only human interaction Gordon had in Black Mesa.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One thing that did worry Harold and the other scientists was the fact that Gordon seemed to have fallen ill.  Every time Harold visited, Gordon was a little more lethargic and he was slowly starting to dim, the lights he gave off no brighter than a child’s glowstick.  It had certainly been a hell of a shock to Harold when he’d looked in Gordon’s eyes and he’d been able to tell that they were brown.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Harold readjusted his night vision goggles nervously, looking at the walls of the cell around him.  The light that Gordon used to throw off had dimmed over time, and was now completely absent.  Gordon himself looked ever the worse for wear, barely able to stand under his own power.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon was singing in his own language once again as he sat against the wall, the colored orbs not even glowing enough to interfere with Harold’s vision.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gordon?”  Harold asked and Gordon stopped singing, the orbs fading away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Dr. Coomer.”  He looked up and smiled exhaustedly, the expression falling away as quickly as the colored orbs had.  “Is it sampling time?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...Yes.  It shouldn’t be any different than usual, just another melted needle and I’ll be on my merry way!”  Harold injected as much levity into his voice as he could, but Gordon didn’t even react, and Harold sighed, walking over so he could kneel next to Gordon.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What-?”  Gordon began to question, but Harold carefully cut him off.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s so routine at this point.  I would feel like a true ass to make you stand when you’re obviously not feeling well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Heh.”  Gordon closed his eyes and knocked the back of his head against the wall.  “You’re a good human, Dr. Coomer.  You’ve really mastered compassion and all that shit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why, thank you, Gordon.”  Harold went through the usual motions of preparing a needle, even if he felt a bit silly for doing so, and went to insert it into Gordon’s proffered arm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It would be difficult to describe how surprised both men were when the needle actually slid into the crook of Gordon’s elbow.  He winced in pain and jerked his arm away, the needle coming free and blood dripping down Gordon’s elbow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the FUCK?”  He said sharply and Harold stood, backing away slowly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My apologies, Gordon.  I should’ve-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get out.”  Gordon’s eyes flashed with a growing light and Harold opened his mouth to try to reason with the entity when the lights in the cell blasted into life, Harold blindly fleeing from the cell as Gordon began to </span>
  <em>
    <span>scream </span>
  </em>
  <span>with rage. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Rigel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Benrey had made themself a tiny kingdom out of one corner of the breakroom, and it was a kingdom they ruled over with relish.  They’d built themself a wall from Tommy’s empty soda cans, and he watched as they stuck sporks along the top of the walls with gum, faces drawn on the sporks with a sharpie that was still dangling from the corner of Benrey’s mouth.</p><p>“Wh-what kind of government does your kingdom use?”</p><p>“They all fight to the death and then they all come back to life.”  Benrey said nonchalantly, as if this made perfect sense.  Tommy blinked and slowly reached for another soda.</p><p>“Yeah, o-okay, Benrey.”  He cracked the lid open and took a sip, still sipping when the room around them began to shake.  The lights flickered and Benrey groaned in frustration when their soda can castle collapsed.  Tommy shot to his feet when the lights started to flicker, and Benrey mirrored him, a confused look on their face.</p><p>“What’s wrong?”  They asked, but Tommy couldn’t put it into words.  </p><p>His reaction was fully justified when a resounding explosion shook the room around them and knocked the two to the ground.</p><p>“What… The Hell was that?”  Benrey asked slowly from where they lay spread-eagled on the floor, blinking dazedly at the ceiling.</p><p>“We should go look.”  Tommy pushed himself back to his feet, waiting until Benrey did the same.  Side by side, they turned and ventured into the singed remains of Black Mesa.</p><p>The pair walked for what seemed like hours.  With the lights flickering and no natural light, time seemed frozen, like the entire facility was some TV show someone had hit the ‘pause’ button on.  </p><p>“Okay.  I’m gonna- This is super spooky.”  Tommy whispered, even if he didn’t quite know why he was whispering.   </p><p>“Bro.  Do you wanna hold my hand?  Might feel a cool again.  Plus can’t lose you.”  Benrey waggled their fingers at Tommy and he almost imagined he could see them grinning at him in the dim light.  “C’monnnnnn.  Hold hands with a bro today.”</p><p>“Fine.”  He laced their fingers together and set off down the hall once again, Benrey dutifully tagging along behind.  </p><p>There weren’t even any other people in the halls, and it almost felt like the whole facility had been abandoned.  But nothing had gone out over the intercoms and that set Tommy to thinking.  </p><p>“If-if someone knew something went wrong, then why didn’t they say anything?”  Benrey, used to Tommy’s musing aloud, said nothing and took advantage of the slowed pace to pick up a cool rock.  “Unless… It was a secret project.  One they didn’t wanna tell anyone else about.”  He turned to Benrey at that point, not even blinking an eye at the fact one of Benrey’s vest pockets was overflowing with pieces of rubble.  “Benrey, do you remember the way to the classified wing?”</p><p>“Sure.  That’s where they keep all the cheat codes for- Well, I just want the ones for Heavenly Sword, but they have everything.”</p><p>“Do you think we could go there?”</p><p>“Uh-huh.  But we need one of the high level codes to go in.  One only the big, big boys know.”</p><p>Benrey led the way to the hall, which under normal circumstances would’ve been closed to the duo by a keypad neither of them had the number for.  Instead, when they got there, the keypad had been pulled off the wall by the force of something having exploded from within.  The door hung off its giant metal hinges, half melted from what seemed to have been a ridiculously high level of heat.  </p><p>“Is it still hot?”  Benrey asked and Tommy hesitantly took a couple steps closer.  Though it was a bit warmer than it had been, the levels weren’t unbearable and he squared his shoulders, heading into the dark room.</p><p>It was another hallway, one that only led to a door at the other end.  It seemed the room had been emptied in a hurry, papers scattered everywhere and a couple lab coats turned into scraps by the heat.  The door at the end of this hallway was wide open and Benrey stood watch at the first door while Tommy went to investigate.</p><p>At first, he thought the cell was empty.  Then he registered the person curled into a tiny ball in one corner, shivering and muttering rapid-fire under their breath.  It sounded like they were just repeating one phrase over and over:</p><p>‘Can’t go home, can’t go home, can’t-’</p><p>“Hello?”  Tommy breathed into the cell and the person’s head snapped up, their wild glowing eyes fixing on him with a scary intensity.  “Um, hi there.  Wh-what happened here?  Are you okay?”</p><p>“Please…”  The person breathed and something happened with their eyes.  Light seemed to shift and start leaking away, down their face.  It took Tommy a moment to realize they were crying, and something in him twisted inexplicably at the thought.  “Please, not you.  Not now, please!”  They buried their face in their knees and started sobbing.  Tommy, his hands held carefully up, slowly approached.</p><p>“Everything’s okay.  I-I won’t hurt you.  What-what’s your name?”</p><p>“What does it matter anymore?”  The person looked up.  “Why do I need a name?  So they have something to write on their little papers when I finally drop dead?  So they can add me to their little victory list?  Fuck that.”  For all their words seemed vicious and angry, this person seemed hollow and destroyed to Tommy.</p><p>“My name’s Tommy.”  He said finally and they looked at him.  “Did you… Cause the explosion?”</p><p>“I didn’t mean to.”  They muttered but Tommy simply waited until they decided to elaborate.  “I can never return home again.  They can-can hurt me now, could kill me if they wanted to.”</p><p>“Where’s home?”  He asked and there was a long moment of silence where the person just stared at Tommy before they looked away.</p><p>“It’s closer than I thought it was.”  Tommy blinked, unaware of what they meant by that.  </p><p>“Okay, uh.”  Tommy sank onto the floor, the person’s eyes tracking him as he lowered himself down.  “My friend’s- they’re keeping watch outside.  But they’d help if I asked.  And- and you don’t deserve to be kept like this.  You should- Do you want us to help you?”</p><p>“Please.”  The person’s grin was shaky but it literally glowed, light and heat spilling from his mouth.  When Tommy’s face flushed red, he attributed it to the heat.  “Please, I just want to go home.”</p><p>-</p><p>Outside the hallway Tommy went into, Benrey leaned against the wall, slowly sorting through their collection of rocks, occasionally polishing one off on their vest.  The facility around them was quiet for awhile, and they almost believed that Tommy would come out and the two of them could get away without being detected.</p><p>That plan died as soon as they heard two pairs of feet running down the hall toward them.  Benrey sighed, knocked their head against the wall behind them, and straightened up, sticking their rock collection in their pocket once again.</p><p>The two scientists that veered around the corner were two they recognized from around Black Mesa:  Doctor Coomer and Doctor Bubby.  The hem of Coomer’s lab coat was singed and sparks were still floating around Bubby’s head.</p><p>“Excuse me!”  Coomer called out to Benrey, who did a very good job of pretending the two scientists weren’t directly in front of them.  This worked up to the point that Bubby got directly in their face.</p><p>“Who’s in there, you asshole?”</p><p>“Nnnnnobody.”  Benrey pulled the word out, hoping the scientists would accept their answer and leave.</p><p>And then Tommy staggered out of the cell and into the main hallway, so that plan also went down the toilet.</p><p>“Tommyyyyyyy.  Look, I found some science dudes.  They’re-they got a little messy in the explosion, kinda stinky, too.  Not sure if that’s the explosion stink or not.”</p><p>“I’m going to light you on fire.”  Bubby growled but Coomer picked him up by the scruff of his lab coat.  </p><p>“H-how can we help you?”  Tommy asked and Coomer eyed him consideringly, his eyes sliding away from the young scientist to the ruined door behind him.</p><p>“Do you know?”  Coomer asked finally and Tommy tried to play innocent. </p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”</p><p>“Gordon.  We were coming back to get him.”</p><p>“Maybe you shoulda got him before everything blew up.”  Benrey kept talking when everyone looked at them.  “I know I’m the only not-scientist of the group, but… Seems kinda obvious.  Maybe the old science dudes got broken brains in the explosion.  That’s sucks, dude, they don’t work right anymore!”  </p><p>“Gordon caused the explosion.”  Coomer interjected once Benrey ran out of steam.  “Bubby and I are on a team that have been studying him.”</p><p>“Why are you telling us?”  Tommy seemed suspicious now, and Benrey inched closer to him as they did their best to subtly pull their gun.  </p><p>“Don’t be stupid.”  Bubby sneered.  His eyes snapped to Benrey and they quickly pulled their hand away from their gun when the butt glowed red hot.  “And don’t pull your gun out here.  Too dangerous.”</p><p>“We- That is, Bubby and I, we’ve been trying to think of a way for Gordon to escape.  But every opportunity we gave him, every chance he had, he just… Didn’t take it.”  Coomer shook his head, baffled.  “The nearest anyone could figure, he wanted to be here.  But he hasn’t done anything, except sit in his cell!”  Coomer seemed to be working himself up, and Bubby laid a hand on Coomer’s shoulder, which seemed to rein him in.  “Until today, that is.”</p><p>“Before, we couldn’t hurt him.”  Bubby looked at the rubble around them.  It almost looked like he was… Afraid of the destruction that had occurred.  “Today, we did.”</p><p>“And he lost it.”  Tommy filled in the blank and Bubby nodded. </p><p>“He’s going to die here if we don’t get him out of here, and soon.”  Tommy looked to Benrey, who tilted their head at him in response.  He thought for a long second and then he turned back to the other two scientists.</p><p>“We want to help.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Denebola</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It took awhile for security to be properly reinstated around Gordon’s cell, which gave Benrey and Tommy plenty of time to visit him.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took longer for Benrey to earn Gordon’s trust than it had taken Tommy, though Tommy couldn’t help but wonder if that was just because of how violently their personalities clashed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Coomer kept telling them that Gordon almost seemed… Reinvigorated after having met them, but everytime he said that, the only phrase that came to Tommy’s mind was ‘Dead man walking’, because that was what Gordon seemed to be.  The scientists of the group still hadn’t been able to figure out the Celestial’s mystery ailment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did he ever tell you if he’d felt like this before?”  Tommy asked one day as he worked, examining star charts to try and figure out where Gordon had come from.  His question was answered with a long, almost comically drawn-out moment of silence, and when he registered that, he finally glanced up.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Coomer’s eyes were wide, like he’d just been smacked across the face, and Bubby was rhythmically knocking his head back against the wall, so gently it didn’t even make the metal ring.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What- did something happen?”  He questioned, thinking he’d missed something, but then Coomer spoke up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We never asked him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You-”  Tommy cut himself off, pressing his lips together and taking a deep breath before he lost his shit.  “What do you mean, ‘You never asked him’?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Brooooooo, I thought you were supposed to be doctors.”  Benrey called from their seat in the rafters and Bubby snarled wordlessly up at them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It never occurred to us, I suppose.”  Coomer seemed to be embarrassed and Tommy shook his head, standing up and grabbing a clipboard and smacking some papers into it, grabbing a pen and jamming that into his pocket as he headed for the door into Gordon’s cell.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t... N-nobody needs to stress about it.  I’ll go ask him about it really quick, maybe he knows something we can use to help him!”  The others remained silent as Tommy opened the door, and none of them seemed to blink as it swung closed.  He sighed, quietly exasperated, before turning to face Gordon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man lay on the floor, eyes closed.  He was so pale that he looked-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tommy ran forward, heart leaping into his throat, and slid onto the ground next to Gordon, pressing two fingers to Gordon’s neck.  Fuck, did whatever kind of being Gordon was have pulse points in the same places as people?  Did they have pulses at all?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Gordon woke up under Tommy’s hands, awoken by the sudden presence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Tommy.”  He smiled and already seemed to be falling back asleep.  Before he could, Tommy made Gordon sit up against the cold metal of the cell, which shocked the ill man awake further.  “What, what’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you were dead.”  Tommy gasped and patted at Gordon’s chest and shoulders anxiously, the Celestial watching in concerned confusion.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay.”  Gordon reached out and caught Tommy’s waving hand, one eye on Tommy as he carefully weaved their fingers together,  as if he was silently asking for permission. Tommy flushed slightly but squeezed Gordon’s hand, and he finally exhaled the last of the tension away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So… What did you need?”  Gordon asked finally and Tommy blinked, before he leaned back slightly and retrieved the clipboard he had dropped in his rush to get to Gordon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We were trying to figure out a way to help-make you feel better, and there’s-I need to ask you ab-about your medical history.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.  Like, how I’ve felt in the past, if I’ve gotten sick before, stuff like that?”  Gordon shifted and tried to look at the clipboard.  Tommy, so Gordon didn’t somehow hurt himself trying to be nosy, ended up shuffling around so he was leaning against the stone wall of the cell, pressed shoulder to shoulder with Gordon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See, the whole thing-you’re a mystery because you’re different from humans, so we don’t know if you’ve ever-if you can even get sick.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t… Remember ever getting sick.”  Gordon blinked slowly, and started to sag against Tommy.  Where before they were pressed shoulder to shoulder, now Gordon had his head pillowed on Tommy’s shoulder, their fingers still wrapped together.  “Though I guess that’s what’s wrong with me now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you just leave?”  Tommy blurted out and refused to look at Gordon, even as he felt Gordon shift his head so he could look up at Tommy.  “In the beginning, when you first got here.  You could’ve-I know you could’ve burned this place down to the ground.  So why didn’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I couldn’t.  Still can’t.”  Gordon slipped a little, his chin losing traction on the rough fabric of Tommy’s lab coat.  Tommy caught him and slid down the wall a little himself, so Gordon’s ear was pressed against his heart.  Gordon sighed and Tommy felt the tips of his ears burn hot as he looked anywhere but the top of Gordon’s head.  Finally, Gordon resumed talking.  “I came here to find some people who… I wanted to find my family.  And Breen said if I just allowed myself to be held here, then I could see the people I’d been missing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did he keep his promise?  Did he let you-Did you see your family?”  Tommy asked and Gordon sighed against his chest, before slowly pushing himself back up, sitting with his back to Tommy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”  When Tommy tried to lay a comforting hand on Gordon’s back, Gordon flinched away and pressed himself into the corner of his cell a little harder.  “Please, just… Just leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-okay, Gordon.”  Tommy knew when to not push his luck and he stood, gathering his papers back onto his clipboard and heading for the door.  Just before he got there, he paused and looked back at Gordon over his shoulder.  “If you need to talk, I’ll be here.  We-we all want to help you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gordon didn’t respond to that, except to sing out a few notes in his native language, the orbs that came spilling out translucent and dim.  With that, Tommy let the door fall shut and got back to work.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Security was finally reinstalled, which meant only Coomer and Bubby could get to Gordon, if they wanted to obey the rules.  Tommy knew Benrey had been sneaking in to see Gordon, but he had read the entire OSHA manual.  To say he was a stickler for the rules would be an understatement.  So he decided to put in a request.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Breen didn’t seem surprised when Tommy asked to be transferred onto Gordon’s case.  He did, however, seem to be panicking slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you mind… Giving me a reason, Dr. Coolatta?”  Breen stood with his back to Tommy, staring out his floor-to-ceiling window at the empty desert outside.  Bit of a design flaw, in Tommy’s personal opinion.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, you did have a couple- I don’t even know how many of your scientists die in the explosion.”  Tommy subtly leaned forward a little.  “So I’m sure the ones who are still alive would like- w-would want the help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure they can handle the case load!”  Breen turned towards Tommy at that point and sweat stood out on his brow.  “Really, Dr. Coolatta, you don’t have anything else you could be working on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My lab was crushed by about- My estimation comes out to a couple tons of concrete and sand.  No, my schedule’s open.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ugh.”  Breen’s face twisted before he went to the intercoms on his desk.  “Would Doctors Bubby, Coomer, and security guard Benrey report to Dr. Breen’s office, please?”  He released the button like it was suddenly red hot and refused to even look at Tommy as he collapsed into his extravagant office chair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two sat in relative silence until the door opened and the other three piled in.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Dr. Breen!”  Coomer settled onto the couch next to Tommy, subtly patting Tommy on the back where Breen couldn’t see.  Benrey leaned against the wall while Bubby sat next to Coomer, and the four of them stared at Breen, who suddenly seemed a lot more unsure than he had before everyone was in the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can we get this over with?”  Bubby sneered, tired of waiting for Breen to speak.  “I’ve got some more tests to run on that Celestial Controller.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What would happen…”  Breen spoke finally, his back to the others.  “What would happen if a Celestial Controller died?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why.”  Coomer made that one word heavy enough that Breen’s shoulders visibly tensed, rising up around his ears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The specimen you have, Dr. Coomer, isn’t exactly in the best of condition.  I simply thought maybe we should put it-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘Him’.”  Tommy got to his feet, teeth bared in his wrath.  “He’s a person, y-you fucking jackass.  And your experiments, your science is killing him!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“H-how do you-?”  Breen finally turned around and his eyes darted from person to person.  “You saw it?  Did you- talk to it?  What did it say to you?  Did it tell you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell us what?”  The science team were all on their feet now, standing together opposite Breen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who you are!”  Breen seemed to be unraveling, hands going to cover his face.  “Don’t play games with me just because it told you, just because you’re freaks like it!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh-Breen, what?”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It didn’t… Tell you?”  Breen paused in his descent into madness and he looked around.  “Wh-then why would you want to help it escape?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you call Gordon an ‘it’ one more time, I will eat you.”  Benrey snarled, baring their fangs with a bone-rattling hiss.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-so you’re saying we’re also Celestial Controllers?”  Coomer pressed and Breen had to steady himself on his desk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why wouldn’t he tell you…?  He came here to find you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No?”  Tommy blinked, confused and overwhelmed.  “No, he came here to find his-“  He cut off suddenly and finally, it felt like the neutrons were firing, and he could finally make the connections that were right in front of him.  </span>
  <em>
    <span>“We’re his family.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.  Oh, my god.”  Coomer fell to the ground suddenly, shuddering violently, and none of the others were much better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It had taken weeks for the brainwashing to finally work, for any memories of space and family and contentment to be wiped away, replaced by obedience to some human facility.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Planet had been the first one captured, coming to see the progress of his biological organisms.  Then the Asteroid and Comet had come hand in hand, and finally the Black Hole.  Each of them had become prisoners, lured in with the promise of rescuing the others.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Star was merely the latest victim, and he had reacted the worst to the imprisonment.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had been crushed both physically and mentally.  Though they were confined in human forms, he had still recognized each of his loved ones on sight.  And they had not seen him for who he was, and he knew that he was doomed to die in the facilities of Black Mesa.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had run out of material to burn, to keep shining.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Star was going supernova, and if he went, so did every star in the universe.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Gamma Eridani</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Back in Breen’s office, memories rushed back into their proper places, and the rage the Planet had been feeling in his human form was only amplified by what he now recalled, by the injustices carried out against him and his family.</p><p> </p><p>“I should kill you.”  He told Breen, who had pushed himself into the corner of his office and was cowering away from the Controllers.</p><p> </p><p>“Planet.”  The Black Hole’s voice was the only thing keeping the Planet from striking the mortal down where he stood, and the Planet turned towards the Black Hole, who grinned at him.  “Hi.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hi.”  The Planet echoed and he dashed into the Black Hole’s arms, the two of them clinging to each other tightly.  The Comet and the Asteroid were also wrapped up in each other, sitting on the floor of Breen’s office.</p><p> </p><p>The reunion was interrupted by what felt like an earthquake, shaking the room around them and shattering the windows.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t think you were that happy to see me.”  The Black Hole joked but the Planet pulled away from them, looking around with wide eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“That wasn’t- I didn’t do that.”  He looked to the Asteroid.  The other Celestial hauled himself and the Comet up from the ground and came over to the other two.</p><p> </p><p>“We need to get to the Star.”  The Comet hissed.  “Like, yesterday.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, but what about this dude?”  The Black Hole gestured to Breen, and when Breen tried to say something, the Black Hole’s fierce glare cut him off.  “I could still eat him.”</p><p> </p><p>“We don’t have time.”  The Planet was just as angry with Breen but he carefully walked over the broken glass on the floor and peered out the window.  </p><p> </p><p>The sun hung high in the sky above Black Mesa, red and swollen, like a red balloon on the verge of eruption.  </p><p> </p><p>“Well, luckily, they’re keeping him in the same cell!”  The Asteroid chirped and the Comet nodded in agreement.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, what are we waiting for?  Let’s gooooooo.”  The Black Hole went to open the door to Breen’s office, but they were still adjusting to the power coursing through them and ended up ripping the door clean off its hinges.  “...Whoops.”</p><p> </p><p>“Just keep going.”  The Comet sighed and after the Black Hole gingerly leaned the door against the wall, the four of them took off running down the hall.  </p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The heat kept climbing as the group ran deeper into Black Mesa and as they ran, they passed other scientists, fleeing from Gordon’s cell.  The Comet reached out, grabbing one of the fleeing scientists and pinning him to the wall.</p><p> </p><p>“If you say something that pisses me off, then I’ll kill you right here.  So choose your words wisely and tell me what the fuck is going on.”</p><p> </p><p>“The Celestial Controller’s going nuts!”  The scientist stammered out, trying to squirm out of the Comet’s fierce grip.  “W-we finally figured out what he controls!”</p><p> </p><p>“Do tell.”  The Asteroid leaned around the Comet and grinned coldly.  </p><p> </p><p>“H-he controls the stars, because he’s going supernova!”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, fuck, no, please.”  The Planet pushed past the others, running towards the Star’s cell.  “Th-they can’t have-!”</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll get to him.”  The Black Hole looked worried as well, but they latched onto the Planet’s hand as the group finally got to the cell door.  </p><p> </p><p>The metal had started to melt, looking warped and deformed.  The Asteroid scooped the hunk of molten metal up and sent it flying down the hall as the Planet and the Black Hole went into the cell.</p><p> </p><p>Light blazed throughout the cell, emanating from the Star in uncontrollable waves.</p><p> </p><p>“Star!”  The Black Hole yelled over the noise of the rushing wind.  “Star, please, you need to stop!”</p><p> </p><p>“I-“  His voice was quiet, but they could still hear him clearly, almost like he was speaking directly into their minds.  “I can’t.  I’m sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you dare!”  The Planet cried, tears beginning to drip from his eyes.  “Star, please, we just need to get you out of here!”</p><p> </p><p>“It hurts…”  The Star hissed.  “I don’t- Planet, I don’t have anything else to burn.  I don’t have a choice.”</p><p> </p><p>“What if we had something you could burn?”  The Black Hole asked, and they pulled a pendant out from under their security guard vest.  “Star, could you stop going supernova?”</p><p> </p><p>“Y-yes, but not for long.”  The Star unleashed another wave of heat and the Black Hole ducked behind the Planet, who hid the both of them behind a layer of rock he pulled through the metal floor of the cell.  “Help me… Please.”</p><p> </p><p>“Here.”  The Black Hole stepped forward, stopping in front of the Star, looking up to look him in the eye.  “I, uh, I didn’t… Eat all the stars you gave me.”</p><p> </p><p>“What?”  The Star asked, but before he could ask the Black Hole to elaborate, they clicked open the pendant and more light flowed out, different colors swirling into the storm already roaring around the Star.  “Wh- you kept them?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not all of them.”  The Black Hole seemed twitchy now, and the Planet realized they were restraining themself from eating the miniaturized stars dancing around the room.  </p><p> </p><p>“Th-this is very cute, but Star is kinda- he’s literally going supernova right now, can we please get a move on?”</p><p> </p><p>“Right.”  The Star shook his head and focused on the room around them.  “Right!  Let’s hope this works!”  Quicker than thought, he reached out and grabbed one of the tiny stars.  It pulsed in the Star’s hand and it suddenly dissolved.  </p><p> </p><p>The wind around them died down a little and the Star stopped floating, though his legs buckled as soon as he touched the ground.  The Black Hole caught the Star before he could completely collapse and the Planet hurried forward to support the both of them.</p><p> </p><p>“So…”  The Star chuckled tiredly, his head lolling onto the Planet’s shoulders as he looked between him and the Black Hole.  “You remember?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.”  The Planet shifted the Star a little higher into his arms, pressing a kiss into the glowing roots of the Star’s hair.  “I’m so sorry, Star.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t apologize.”  The Star pushed himself up a little further, dragging both the Planet and the Black Hole into a crushing hug.  “I just- I just wanted to see you again and I nearly destroyed the entire universe doing it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, I‘ll eat everything one day anyway.”  The Black Hole piped up from where their face was pressed into the Star’s shoulder.  “But, uh, we should really go.  Before Star starts going supernova again and, you know, it would really suck to die now.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.”  The three of them turned and headed for the door.  The Comet and Asteroid met them in the hall, and the Asteroid easily lifted the Star into a bridal carry while the Comet took the lead.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Outside of the remains of the Black Mesa facility, the family of Celestial Controllers emerged into the red heat of the dying Sun.  The temperature spiked another few degrees as soon as the Sun’s rays landed on the Star, and he turned his face to the warmth.</p><p> </p><p>“C-can you fix yourself now?  Does this help?”  The Planet asked and the Star nodded, still bathing in silent contentment.  The red light seemed to almost sink into him, and the heat faded away as the Sun continued to turn in the sky, slowly melting from being on the verge of death to the yellow star it had been before its Celestial Controller went supernova.  </p><p> </p><p>“I think you can put me down now.”  The Star blinked his eyes open and smiled at the Asteroid, who nodded and did so.  Already, the Star seemed to be in better shape, his eyes once again a kaleidoscope of flames and colors.  He also no longer touched the ground, hovering an inch above it just because he could.  “Yeah, I think I’m good now.”</p><p> </p><p>“Good.”  The Comet spat out, his gaze fixed on a mob standing across from them in the sand.  “Because we’ve got company.”</p><p> </p><p>Breen had assembled what seemed like his own personal army, soldiers armed to the teeth and every weapon that could be seen was pointed at the Celestial Controllers.</p><p> </p><p>“Why are you doing this?”  The Star asked, but he didn’t seem to really care about the answer.  Anger radiated off of him in hot waves, and the other Controllers were just as angry.</p><p> </p><p>The ground creaked and groaned, chunks of rock peeling away and shattering into tiny places, flying towards the Planet and orbiting around him like Saturn’s rings.  Light warped around the Black Hole, a vaguely humanoid void haloed by a golden outline,  The Asteroid dented the ground where he stood, while flames crackled across the skin of the Comet, white-hot and blinding.</p><p> </p><p>“We just wanted to understand!”  Breen yelled at the Controllers across the sand.  “You’re the first aliens humanity has ever seen!  You’re scientific marvels!”</p><p> </p><p>“And so you degraded us, trapped us, made us like you?”  With every word he spoke, the Star’s heat spiked until light shimmered around him, like a mirage in the desert Sun.  “How dare you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Please, let’s just talk-”  Breen tried to plead but the Planet cut him off.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t- Any privilege you think you have, I can promise you you do not.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine.”  Breen seemed resigned, and took half a step back, letting soldiers fill the spot where he had been standing.  “Then I guess the time for talking is over.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fuckin’ crazy dude, thinking you can trap divinity without something going wrong.”  The Black Hole’s voice buzzed and hummed, in such a way that it almost physically hurt to listen to them talk.  “You almost doomed the world.  Just stop, please.”  In response to some unseen signal, all of the soldiers pointed their guns at the Controllers.</p><p> </p><p>Breen watched apathetically, but there was surely some fear lurking in his twisted heart.  He had tried to capture gods and now he had to face the consequences of his actions.  To a man like Wallace Breen, consequences were an idea he’d never had to think about before, but now they loomed over him in the form of several vengeful gods, ready to rip him to shreds as easily as breathing.</p><p> </p><p>“Open fire.”  Breen said finally and bullets exploded from muzzles, flying a short distance across the sand and towards the Controllers.  But bullets are metal, which melts if hot enough.  And at that point, the Star was definitely burning hot enough to melt bullets.</p><p> </p><p>“If you have the slightest bit of intelligence, you’ll cease fire!”  The Asteroid called out cheerfully.  There was a beat before the bullets stopped flying, but they did stop.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing?!”  Breen snapped, incensed at being disobeyed.  “Kill them!”</p><p> </p><p>“We, uh-“  One of the soldiers cut himself off with a nervous gulp when Breen whirled to face him.  But one of the others finished what the first had been saying.</p><p> </p><p>“We can’t.  Breen, you moron, they’re literally gods.”  The soldier set his weapon down and pulled away from the tight grouping he’d been standing in, walking forward until he stood halfway between the gods and the mortals.  “Please, I ask that you spare me and my men.  We only followed orders.”</p><p> </p><p>“Did you know they were wrong?”  The Planet asked, eyes narrowed.  The soldier could say nothing, only stand silently and bear judgment.  “I did not create humans to become sheep.  I already made sheep.”</p><p> </p><p>“Star, I believe we should destroy the entire US military!”  The Asteroid announced and the Comet nodded in agreement.  </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, let’s wipe them out.  It’s the least we can do to repay the favor for everything they’ve done to us.”</p><p> </p><p>“I just want to leave.”  The Star sighed.  His angry heat faded, and he looked around at the other Celestial Controllers.  “I came here to rescue you.  In the end, you ended up rescuing me.  So I say we leave humanity to its own affairs, and honestly, if I ever end up on this planet again, it’ll be too soon.”</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s go.”  The Black Hole curled close to the Star, the two weaving together in some kind of imperceptible embrace.  “Let’s just bail.  Please, let’s go home.”</p><p> </p><p>“I like that idea.”  The Comet muttered begrudgingly, and the Asteroid nodded in agreement.  Wordlessly, the Comet and the Asteroid pushed themselves off from the ground, easily flying away into the sky until they were no longer in view.  The Planet stood a little ways away from the Star and the Black Hole, and the two watched the one.  </p><p> </p><p>“...Okay.”  The Planet muttered finally and turned away from the mortals, squeezing his way into the embrace of the Star and the Black Hole.  “Let’s go home.”  With that, the three also disappeared, vanishing away faster than light.</p><p> </p><p>But even without standing directly in front of them, the Planet still showed his wrath.  The ground under the Black Mesa facilities cracked and shifted as dirt rose into the air in thick clouds.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, the facility sunk beneath the dirt, like a ship sinking under the waves.  Breen could only watch, and slowly the soldiers surrounding him turned and began their long walk into the desert.  Breen, the last man paying any attention to where Black Mesa once stood, fell to his knees.</p><p> </p><p>Overhead, the Sun shone bright, and everything was right with the cosmos once more.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And with that, this marks the end of this story!  While this is the main story for this AU, I may return later with other ideas, though I can't promise anything.  I hope you enjoyed reading this!  Thank you for staying with the story!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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